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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Inspirational
- Subject: Friends / Friendship
- Published: 07/18/2020
My Rich Friend Next Door
Born 1990, M, from Lagos, NigeriaMy late rich friend was a kind man with a large heart.
A redefinition of true giving and philanthropy
Helper of the needy and voice to the voiceless.
Some said he gave because he had a surplus.
Some said he was a foolish man who didn’t know what to do with money.
Some even said he was a voodoo man,
and giving was his sacrifice.
Yes, they were right about one thing.
Giving was his sacrifice,
the only thing that kept him going.
Life was only fair to him from a distance.
People judged him only from a distance.
His wife was childless because he couldn’t get it up either day or night.
A disease had fried his eggs.
Even his money couldn’t buy him new eggs.
His wife mocked him,
his night turned to days,
and his days turned to nights.
Little wonder he preferred staying with the unprivileged.
They were his inspiration.
Watching them survive was his consolation.
He was a man of the people,
but he lived in isolation.
He gave us his shoulders,
hoping to get ours in return.
But we all assumed he had a large shoulder,
broad enough to carry his personal burdens.
My rich friend died a lonely man,
even in the midst of multitudes.
I never knew he needed me.
Because he mastered the craft of suffering and smiling.
Now I cry day and night,
wishing I could turn back the hands if time.
But then it’s too late.
I can only promise to make it up to my next rich friend.
My Rich Friend Next Door(Darlington Chukwunyere)
My late rich friend was a kind man with a large heart.
A redefinition of true giving and philanthropy
Helper of the needy and voice to the voiceless.
Some said he gave because he had a surplus.
Some said he was a foolish man who didn’t know what to do with money.
Some even said he was a voodoo man,
and giving was his sacrifice.
Yes, they were right about one thing.
Giving was his sacrifice,
the only thing that kept him going.
Life was only fair to him from a distance.
People judged him only from a distance.
His wife was childless because he couldn’t get it up either day or night.
A disease had fried his eggs.
Even his money couldn’t buy him new eggs.
His wife mocked him,
his night turned to days,
and his days turned to nights.
Little wonder he preferred staying with the unprivileged.
They were his inspiration.
Watching them survive was his consolation.
He was a man of the people,
but he lived in isolation.
He gave us his shoulders,
hoping to get ours in return.
But we all assumed he had a large shoulder,
broad enough to carry his personal burdens.
My rich friend died a lonely man,
even in the midst of multitudes.
I never knew he needed me.
Because he mastered the craft of suffering and smiling.
Now I cry day and night,
wishing I could turn back the hands if time.
But then it’s too late.
I can only promise to make it up to my next rich friend.
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Gail Moore
07/18/2020Very interesting, sometimes we have no idea what others are enduring. Fertility is a widespread problem in today's world. It is also a problem that people keep very private.
Great story :-)
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JD
07/18/2020Hi Darlington,
I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. I hope that he found joy in giving during his life.
The one thing about your story that was a bit confusing, was your referring to his 'eggs'. Men do not have eggs. Only women have eggs, which must be fertilized by male sperm in order for a baby to begin. When a male's sperm does not get the job done, he is called 'impotent', not egg-less. So if there was actually an egg problems in this marriage, then it would have been his wife's problem, not his.
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Help Us Understand What's Happening
JD
07/18/2020Okay, I guess it is probably a cultural difference and that different terms are used there than here to describe these things. Thanks for the explanation, Darlington.
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Darlington Chukwunyere
07/18/2020Hi Jd,
The term 'eggless' which I used, was figurative for (Not having a scrotum) infertility. I euphemized the sperm sack. (For the use of the name).
However, for the expression 'fried his egg', I figuretively expressed the damages done to him by his predicaments using infertility as a symbol.
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